Apple was granted 25 patents from the US Patent and Trademark Office this week, including ones covering the iTunes Store, Time Machine, Smart Covers, and some in-store displays among others.
The patent granted for the iTunes Store involves a rental system that allows for one data store to hold rented content in, along with a way to pass that content to another device upon request. It also includes a way to authorize transfer of that rented content from one device to another, according to Patently Apple.
This patent was originally applied for in January 2008. It’s also the second iTunes Store-related patent issues in the past two weeks, the other being for the core concept of the iTunes Store — a crucial patent pronouncement.
Time Machine was also given its fifth patent; this one around the user interface that shows earlier versions of data. The patent describes the familiar animation that transitions from a user’s desktop to the Time Machine interface ahead of searching for earlier versions of files.
The design of Smart Covers for the iPad and the design of the iMac were also granted patent protection. There were other patents, too, including a display structure for Apple Stores, connector receptacle housings, power converter mode switching, and other minor inventions.
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